BILL NUMBER: SJR 6	CHAPTERED  07/16/99

	RESOLUTION CHAPTER   65
	FILED WITH SECRETARY OF STATE   JULY 16, 1999
	ADOPTED IN ASSEMBLY   JULY 12, 1999
	ADOPTED IN SENATE   APRIL 8, 1999
	AMENDED IN SENATE   APRIL 6, 1999

INTRODUCED BY   Senator Solis
   (Coauthor:  Senator Chesbro)

                        FEBRUARY 4, 1999

   Senate Joint Resolution No. 6--Relative to Filipino veterans'
benefits.



	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   SJR 6, Solis.  Filipino veterans of World War II:  veterans'
benefits.
   This measure would memorialize the President and the Congress of
the United States to take action necessary to honor our country's
moral obligation to provide Filipino veterans with the military
benefits that they deserve, including, but not limited to, holding
related hearings, and acting favorably on legislation pertaining to
the granting of full veterans' benefits to Filipino veterans of the
United States Armed Forces.




   WHEREAS, The Philippine Islands became a United States possession
in 1898 when they were ceded from Spain following the
Spanish-American War and remained a possession of the United States
until 1946; and
   WHEREAS, In 1934, Congress passed Public Law 73-127, the
Philippine Independence Act, that set a 10-year timetable for the
eventual independence of the Philippines and in the interim
established a Commonwealth of the Philippines with certain powers
over its internal affairs; and
   WHEREAS, The granting of full independence ultimately was delayed
for two years until 1946 because of the Japanese occupation of the
islands from 1942 to 1945; and
   WHEREAS, During the interval between 1934 and the final
independence in 1946, the United States retained certain sovereign
powers over the Philippines, including the right, upon order of the
President of the United States, to call into the service of the
United States Armed Forces all military forces organized by the
Commonwealth government; and
   WHEREAS, President Roosevelt invoked this authority by Executive
order of July 26, 1941, bringing the Philippine Commonwealth Army
into the service of the United States Armed Forces of the Far East
under the command of Lieutenant General Douglas MacArthur; and
   WHEREAS, Two hundred thousand Filipino soldiers, driven by a sense
of honor and dignity, battled under United States Command after 1941
to preserve our liberty; and
   WHEREAS, Filipinos gallantly served at Bataan and Corregidor,
giving their toil, blood, and lives so as to provide the United
States valuable time to rearm materiel and men to launch the
counteroffensive in the Pacific war; and
   WHEREAS, There are four groups of Filipino nationals who are
entitled to all or some of the benefits to which United States
veterans are entitled.  These are:
   (1) Filipinos who served in the regular components of the United
States Armed Forces.
   (2) Regular Philippine Scouts, called "Old Scouts," who enlisted
in Filipino-manned units of the United States Army prior to October
6, 1945.
   (3) Special Philippine Scouts, called "New Scouts," who enlisted
in the United States Armed Forces between October 6, 1945, and June
30, 1947, primarily to perform occupation duty in the Pacific
following World War II.
   (4) Members of the Philippine Commonwealth Army who on July 26,
1941, were called into the service of the United States Armed Forces.
  This group includes organized guerrilla resistance units that were
recognized by the United States Army; and
   WHEREAS, The first two groups, Filipinos who served in the regular
components of the United States Army and Old Scouts, are considered
United States veterans and are generally entitled to the full range
of United States veterans' benefits; and
   WHEREAS, The other two groups, New Scouts and members of the
Philippine Commonwealth Army, are eligible for certain benefits, and
some of these benefits are paid at lower than full rates.  United
States veterans' medical benefits for the four groups of Filipino
veterans vary depending upon whether the person resides in the United
States or the Philippines; and
   WHEREAS, The Old Scouts were created in 1901 pursuant to the act
of February 2, 1901, that authorized the President of the United
States "to enlist natives (of the Philippines) ... for service in the
Army, to be organized as scouts ... or as troops or companies, as
authorized by this Act, for the regular Army"; and
   WHEREAS, Prior to World War II, these troops assisted in the
maintenance of domestic order in the Philippines and served as a
combat-ready force to defend the Philippine Islands against foreign
invasion; and
   WHEREAS, During the war, they participated in the defense and
retaking of the islands from Japanese occupation.  The eligibility of
Old Scouts for benefits based on military service in the United
States Armed Forces, including veterans' benefits, has long been
established; and
   WHEREAS, The United States Department of Veterans Affairs operates
a comprehensive program of veterans' benefits in the Republic of the
Philippines, including the operation of a United States Department
of Veterans Affairs office in Manila; and
   WHEREAS, The United States Department of Veterans Affairs does not
operate a program of this type in any other country; and
   WHEREAS, The program in the Philippines evolved because the
Philippines were a United States possession during the period
1898-1946, and many Filipinos have served in the United States Armed
Forces, and because the preindependence Commonwealth Army of the
Philippines was called into the service of the United States Armed
Forces during World War II (1941-1945); and
   WHEREAS, Our nation, however, has failed to meet the promises made
to those Filipino soldiers who fought as American soldiers during
World War II; and
   WHEREAS, Many Filipino veterans have been discriminated against by
the classification of their service as not being service rendered in
the United States Armed Forces for purposes of benefits from the
United States Department of Veterans Affairs; and
   WHEREAS, All other nationals, even foreigners, who served in the
United States Armed Forces have been recognized and granted full
rights and benefits, but the Filipinos who actually were American
nationals at that time were and are still denied recognition and
singled out for exclusion, and this treatment is unfair and
discriminatory; and
   WHEREAS, On October 20, 1996, President Clinton issued a
proclamation honoring the nearly 100,000 Filipino veterans of World
War II, soldiers of the Philippine Commonwealth Army, who fought as a
component of the United States Armed Forces alongside Allied Forces
for four long years to defend and reclaim the Philippine Islands, and
thousands more who joined the United States Armed Forces after the
war; now, therefore, be it
   Resolved by the Senate and Assembly of the State of California,
jointly, That the Legislature of the State of California respectfully
memorializes the President and Congress of the United States to take
action necessary to honor our country's moral obligation to provide
Filipino veterans with the military benefits that they deserve,
including, but not limited to, holding related hearings, and acting
favorably on legislation pertaining to granting full veterans'
benefits to Filipino veterans of the United States Armed Forces; and
be it further
   Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate transmit copies of this
resolution to the President and Vice President of the United States,
to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and to each Senator
and Representative from California in the Congress of the United
States.
